Tag Archives: gift

Now that the OnePlus 5 Phone has been shipping to customers for a few weeks it is time to re-visit the phone and the slow motion footage it can record. We were disappointed by the 120fps 720p limitation on the phone since most new flagship handsets aim at the 120fps 1080p and 240fps 720p spec as a competitive plateau. Still, the OnePlus phones are very popular worldwide with the mix of great optics, lack of software bloatware and true performance unencumbered by ROMs that slow the phone down.

It is true that the phone slow motion will not win any prizes due to slight compression artifacts and aliasing that shows the sensor is skipping lines and applying a lower bitrate at the end. Slow motion seems to be an afterthought in the OnePlus 5 while stills and 4k recording are solid. We are sharing new examples for you to judge.[...]→ Continue Reading Full Post ←

The Chronos 1.4 Camera is getting its first firmware update from 0.1 to 0.2 to add a few feature, correct a few bugs and some interface changes. The update is recommended for all owners and it is very easy to install. Be sure to have a FAT32 formatted USB stick in order to perform the update as it needs the root directory for file discovery.

We applied the update on our camera and were pleasantly surprised that the actual software update did not need the camera to be turned off after. It seems that the Chronos team is making updates on the internal SD memory and not on a firmware chip which also means you cannot brick the camera by updating. Very cool feature![...]→ Continue Reading Full Post ←

We would like to share a few modifications users of the Chronos 1.4 have made to the camera in the few short weeks they have had to put it through its paces. In our case, we got the Pro AM 5″ Sunshade for LCD screens and had great success curing what could have been a big nuisance for the camera. In bright daylight, the Chronos screen completely washes out like most phones out there and makes it impossible to judge focus, controls and reviewing clips.

There are also case mods and more strap accessories that have made the camera better. While the software is still in the early stages, the camera is fully functional and has been able to deliver outstanding image quality. There are a few image artifacts that firmware will address in the future, that are pushing back our full review of the camera. For those that have been asking, rest assured we are on it![...]→ Continue Reading Full Post ←

There were a lot of expectations for the phone that would replace the One Plus 3T which was a mighty seller for the performance hungry crowd without the high price tag that typically goes along with the best phones. The new One Plus 5 is a good upgrade from the One Plus 3 and 3T in that the performance goes neck and neck with the best of the best out there and tied with the Samsung Galaxy S8 in benchmarks.

The tale, however, is not completely rosy as the camera module taking a page from the iPhone 7 Plus includes two camera sensor modules, one for wide-angle at 16MP and the other for telephoto with 20MP resolution. We say it falls short because the slow motion frame rates are pegged to a 720p resolution and only at 120fps. This is not flagship performance for video even when it ticks off all the other boxes like 4k 30p and 1080 60p.[...]→ Continue Reading Full Post ←

The newly released iPad Pro 2017 refresh in both 10.5 and 12.9 inches share a new camera module that really is a direct transfer from the iPhone 7. It makes sense for Apple to offer their best camera yet in the best iPad they have ever built when it comes to performance. However, you will not get anything in the camera department that makes the iPad Pro a leap forward in frame rates or other imaging specs.

The dual camera setup of the iPhone 7 Plus is not included in the iPad Pro so that is one aspect where the iPhone is still ahead. The new tablets are for all intents and purposes a refinement with speed and software productivity capabilities as the two main goals for the line. They want to be a laptop replacement and they are aiming at the crowd who is fed up with the weight and bulk of traditional laptops.[...]→ Continue Reading Full Post ←

So now that many Kickstarter backers have received the Chronos 1.4 including HSC, we have had a few days to test it out and see what kind of accessories the camera needs to be customized for full usability. There are quite a few hardware cages that may fit it but we rather use the camera as is with some clever low-cost fixes.

The camera is performing well with operation being solid for the 4 days we have taken it through its paces. Some things do scream out as essentials in order for the camera to be safe from drops and shield it from the sun in order to see the LCD screen properly which is not particularly good in direct sunlight as most LCDs suffer from this.[...]→ Continue Reading Full Post ←